Silicon Valley's crucial business moments from 2013, month by month

Silicon Valley business people will likely look back on on 2013 with nostalgia. Businesses grew fast enough to create murmurs about a bubble, but no one dared utter the "B" word for fear of appearing alarmist.

It was a year that presented businesses the right kinds of problems: Competition for skilled talent drove companies to provide workers more incentives and rents in many commercial real estate markets rose. CEOs came and went, according to their companies' fortunes.

The surge brought attendant ills as well: Heavier traffic and pollution and lack of affordable housing were felt more keenly than any time since the 2008 economic crash. We put together a month-by-month scorecard to remind readers about the key business moments in the year that was. We even included a handy key:

March 1: “It has been through the treatment process that I realized that I need to accept responsibility for all of my actions. That starts today.”— George Shirakawa, resigning as Santa Clara County Supervisors Board president after pleading guilty to charges related to campaign finance reports and bills racked up on a county-issued credit card. (Q)

June 26: “I’m having a hard time working today — I keep checking Facebook.” — Rainbow Chamber of Commerce VP Topher Simon, after the Supreme Court cleared way for gay marriage in California and struck down the federal Defense of Marriage Act. (Q)

Sept. 18: “’Oh, we only spy on non-Americans.’ Gee thanks. We’re trying to provide an international service, not get crushed in those places.”— Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on the government’s NSA spying revelations. (Q)

Sept. 26: “Before I leave, I’m satisfied we’ll work something out.”— MLB Commissioner Bud Selig on finding resolution before he leaves office in January 2014 to the Oakland A’s quest to move to San Jose. (Q)

Sept. 30: Tesla stock hits a high - $193.37 (M)

October

Oct. 1: Government shutdown! (M)

Oct. 1: Obamacare launches, sort of, as new Americans struggle to use the error-plagued system. (M)

Oct. 7: “Vivek Wadhwa is the Carrot Top of academic sources.”— Twitter CEO Dick Costolo, inserting his foot into his mouth after Stanford Fellow and researcher Wadhwa noted the company was heading into an IPO without a single female board member. Since then, the company has since put Pearson Plc’s ex-CEO, Marjorie Scardino, on the board. (Q)

Oct. 16: Cupertino approves Apple spaceship campus (M)

Oct. 17: Government reopens. “There are no winners here.” — President Barack Obama(Q)

Oct. 18: Google stock crosses $1,000 mark for first time (M)

Oct. 31: “I’m here to say, ‘We’re ready to go.’” — Joe Montana to a standing-room-only crowd at an October Santa Clara City Council meeting on speeding approval of his mixed-use project near Levi’s Stadium. (Q)

Nov. 7: Twitter launches on the public market, closing at 73% above IPO price its first day. (M)

Nov. 4: “If our coworkers cannot be themselves in the workplace, they certainly cannot be their best selves. When that happens, we undermine people’s potential and deny ourselves and our society the full benefits of those individuals’ talents.” — Apple Tim Cook, in an op-Ed in the Wall Street Journal supporting a bill that would ban workplace discrimination based on sexual preference and gender identity. (Q)

Nov. 6: Sunnyvale voters approve four tough gun safety laws (M)

Nov. 19: San Jose lands permanent regional patent office. (M)

Nov. 19: DFJ change up - Tim Draper and John Fisher say they will give up investment duties at storied VC firm. (M)

Feb 26: Homes start sprouting on the San Jose Flea Market land, the first of what could be the area’s largest redevelopment project that is also next to a planned BART station. (M)